


2023

by flowersandsunshine



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Aged Up, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, New Years Eve, Original Female Character - Freeform, fake exes, this is basically just ridiculous
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-01-06
Packaged: 2018-09-15 06:21:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9222998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowersandsunshine/pseuds/flowersandsunshine
Summary: When Riley's new friend pushes her to tell her who she just broke up with, she says the first name that comes to her mind. She never imagines Jessica will ever meet Farkle Minkus. It leads to a more interesting night than she could have imagined.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [astralfreckles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/astralfreckles/gifts).



> i have never been to new york, much less to new york on new years eve, so i have no clue if this fic actually works. whatever. read with a grain of salt.
> 
> as always, unedited and unbeta'd. all mistakes are mine.
> 
> (sign petitions to keep girl meets world airing y'all please do this for me)

Riley laughed and took a sip of her drink. “No, no, I’m not dating anyone right now.”

“No?” Jessica asked. “A cute girl like you? Single? What are people waiting for, you to come to them? Surely there’s been someone.”

“No, no,” Riley said again. “I’m just taking time to get to know myself right now. You know, last year of college, looking to see what happens after this. I don’t know. I don’t have time in my life for anyone right now.”

“Hm.” Jessica shrugged. “I guess I just assumed you were with someone.”

“Nope.”

“Recently broke up with someone, then?” she pushed.

Riley fought to keep herself from rolling her eyes. “Gosh,” she muttered. “Actually, yeah,” she said. “I was in a relationship for a long time but now I’m learning who I am without anyone.”

“Oh? Who were you dating?” Jessica asked. She took another long drink.

Riley winced at the sight. “Uh…” Her mind whirled. “Farkle Minkus.”

Riley immediately cursed herself, but it was too late. Jessica sat up a little straighter. “The heir to Minkus Enterprises? That Farkle Minkus? How do you even know him? He goes to MIT.”

“He and I went to elementary school together. And middle and high school, actually,” Riley said. “We were basically best friends, along with our four other friends. We were inseparable.” She smiled softly to herself. “Gosh, those were good days.”

“Hm.” Jessica reached over and placed her hand on Riley’s shoulder. “Well, I’m sorry you two broke up. Maybe I’ll meet him someday and I’ll give him a piece of my mind.”

Riley almost laughed out loud but stopped herself just in time. “Maybe you will,” she said, desperately praying that would never happen.

\---

“You said what?” Maya laughed. Her face filled the laptop screen, a little blurry and pixelated, but still completely Maya Hart. “You said you dated Farkle?”

“She just kept pushing!” Riley said. “I didn’t know what to do! I figured she would never, ever, ever meet Farkle, so it’s okay, right? I just can’t believe I didn’t make somebody up on the spot, like, Alan Smith, or, even better, Jane Parker. Just to see what her reaction would be. Yeah?”

“Honey, you still have it bad for that boy.” Maya grinned.

“Maya, I have never had feelings for Farkle! See, this is why I didn’t want to tell you,” Riley said. “You keep saying that I was in love with Farkle, but I wasn’t. I wasn’t!”

“Okay, Peaches, okay,” Maya said. “Whatever you say.” She was quiet for a moment. “So, when you think about dating Farkle—”

Riley groaned and covered her face, listening to Maya’s laughter and trying to ignore it.

\---

“Riles!” Maya shouted. “Riles, over here!”

Riley’s head snapped towards the sound of her best friend’s voice, her hair flying around as she peered through the crowd for Maya. “Where?” she asked.

“There!” Jessica said, pointing through the crowd. “I see her!”

Riley grabbed Jessica’s hand. “Don’t lose me!” she exclaimed, pulling Jessica along behind her, pushing through people until she was within arm’s reach of Maya. “Maya!” she screamed.

“Riley!” Maya screamed back at her, her voice rising above all the people around them.

They squealed and hugged for a long time.

“Alright, guys, break it up,” Lucas said, laughing as he reached over to hug Riley. “Happy New Year, Riley!” 

She hugged him back tightly. “Happy New Year, Lucas! It’s so, so good to see you both!” She reached over and pulled Jessica closer to her. “This is my friend Jessica. We have a lot of classes together.” Riley bumped Jessica’s shoulder. “Same major.”

“How’s it feel to be in the business of helping people?” Lucas asked.

Riley looked past him at the person who joined them and her eyes widened. “Uh, uhh, um, Farkle, hi!” she exclaimed. “Oh, my god, it’s, uh…hi!”

Jessica reached out and gently touched her shoulder before extending her hand. “Hi. Jessica Miller. I don’t like you.”

“Uh,” Farkle said, shaking her hand, his mouth slightly open. “Hi. I’m Farkle. This is Zay.”

Riley squealed and pushed past Lucas to launch herself at Zay. “Isaiah! I haven’t seen you in almost two years!” She pulled back from her hug and punched him in the shoulder. “Two years!”

“Ow!” Zay said, holding his shoulder. “I get that it’s been a long time, but you don’t need to injure me for it!”

She smiled and hugged him again. “I missed you,” she said. Riley turned to Farkle and gave him a quick hug. “You, too.”

He smiled slightly but his eyes were very confused. “Yeah. I missed you, Riley.”

Jessica glanced between them, a knowing look on her face.

Maya pulled Lucas down to whisper something to him. His eyes got big and he fought back laughter.

Riley frowned at Maya before turning to the group. “Okay. Um, Smackle couldn’t come, since she’s in France right now, being smart, but she wishes she could be here and says to not hug everyone for her, so, yeah. Anyway. I’m so glad we’re here, tonight.” She looked up at the giant crystal ball that was due to fall in seven hours. “New Years in New York. There’s nothing quite like it.”

Everyone looked at each other and smiled. There was a moment of tranquility, where they all felt like they could stay in that moment forever, and just look at each other’s faces a little more.

“Wait, so, why don’t you like me?” Farkle asked.

Riley groaned and covered her face.

“You broke my good friend Riley’s heart! The way you just dumped her like that, over Skype? Not cool!” Jessica exploded. “She told me all about it. She made me promise not to mention it to you, but I just can’t keep back my rage. You understand?”

“Like Ross Geller, this one,” Maya whispered to Lucas.

“More like Paris Geller,” Zay whispered to Maya.

Maya snickered and wrapped her arm around Zay’s shoulder.

“You basically destroyed her life,” Jessica finished. “And I’m not happy about it. I had to pick up the pieces. Not cool.”

Farkle looked at Riley, who was staring at the ground, shifting anxiously from one foot to another. “Wow, Riley, I… I didn’t know it tore you up like it did.”

Riley’s head snapped up and she stared at Farkle.

“I thought it was meant to be mutual.” Farkle tilted his head and smiled ever so slightly. “I guess if I had realized… I’m sorry, Riley.” He stepped towards her and held out a hand. “Still best friends, right?”

Riley slowly reached over and took his hand. “Always. I’ll always be your best friend, Farkle.”

Zay broke the ensuing silence by clearing his throat. “Did I miss something, or…”

“This is what you get for missing two years of Riley Matthew’s life, Zay,” Lucas interrupted him. He punched Zay on the same arm Riley had punched him on.

“Not cool!” Zay protested. “Riley can punch me, but you saw me yesterday, man.”

Riley was still holding Farkle’s hand. She dropped it slowly. “Do you…” She paused and looked around at her group of friends. “Is there somewhere we can talk alone?”

“Here?” Farkle smiled. 

She looked around at the crowd of people before reaching for his hand again. “Come on,” she said, pulling him through the crowd. 

Farkle followed after her, clinging tightly to her hand. 

Riley stopped about thirty feet away from where their friends were standing, surrounded by complete strangers. “Why did you go along with it?” she asked.

“Your friend probably didn’t want to hear that you were lying to her. And I’m sure you had a good reason.” Farkle shrugged. “Why does it matter?”

“I never thought she would meet you.” Riley frowned. “I just told her your name because I couldn’t think of anyone else quickly enough.”

“Not Lucas? The boy you actually did date?” He grinned. “Riley, really, it’s okay.”

“You sure?” Riley asked. “If it makes you uncomfortable, we can just tell her the truth.”

“No, it’s okay.” Farkle squeezed her hand. “Besides, if there’s anybody I would want to be fake exes with, it would be you.”

Riley laughed, surprised. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Farkle tugged on her hand gently. “Come on, let’s go back.”

“Hey, Farkle?” Riley asked softly, staying right where she was.

He just looked at her, his eyes open and bright and filled with constellations. They were beautiful, and Riley found herself drowning in them.

She shook her head to clear it. “If there’s anyone I would want to be fake exes with, it would be with you.”

Farkle reached out and touched her face, just for a moment, before quickly withdrawing his hand and pulling with his other one. “Let’s rejoin the group,” he said quietly. 

Riley let him pull her back, her cheek still tingling slightly where his hand had made contact. 

“You good?” Maya asked them.

Riley’s eyes grew wide and she turned to stare at Maya. “Bay window,” she said.

“Oh, no,” Maya said. “There’s no bay window here.”

“Bay window right now!”

“What’s a bay window?” Jessica asked.

“Where the girls sit to talk about their problems,” Lucas explained to her quickly. 

“There’s no sitting here,” Jessica said. 

“I need a bay window to talk things out with Maya,” Riley said, feeling extremely calm and yet surprisingly agitated. “Otherwise, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“Can’t it wait until tomorrow, Peaches?” Maya asked. 

“Um, no,” Riley said. “No.”

Maya grabbed her hand and dragged her to where she and Farkle had just been standing. “What’s up, honey?”

“I’m in love with Farkle.” Riley’s eyes were wide and her head was clear. “I’m in love with him, and he held my hand, and he touched my cheek, and he said those things, and I’m not going to be able to walk away from him tonight without admitting some feelings, I know it, and things will be all messed up, and the group dynamic will splinter again and I just don’t know if we can handle that kind of mess.”

Maya’s mouth dropped open and she laughed. “You’re in love with him?”

“Yes,” Riley said. “Yes, yes, I am, and I’m kind of freaking out.”

Maya started to dance a little, singing a little ditty as she did so. “I knew it,” she crowed at the end of the theme.

“You knew it, but I didn’t know, and Farkle doesn’t know. He doesn’t know, does he?” Riley’s breath suddenly became very hard to control. “Oh, gosh.”

“Peaches, he’s been in love with you since he was like six.” Maya rolled her eyes. “Just tell him.”

“Oh, but maybe not when Jessica’s around,” Riley mused. “I still kinda don’t want her knowing that Farkle and I never dated in the first place.”

“Then just kiss him at midnight, and talk with him when you two are alone,” Maya said. “There. Problem solved.”

Riley bit her lip and considered that for a minute. “Okay.”

They made their way back to the group.

“Problem solved?” Zay asked.

“Yes. The bay window that wasn’t a bay window was adequate for this problem,” Riley said.

“It was just fine,” Maya said. She was grinning like a crazy person. 

“What’s up with you?” Lucas asked her.

“Just some secrets. I do looooove secrets,” Maya said. 

Riley rolled her eyes and turned her attention to the crystal ball. “Here we go,” she said. “I hope 2023 is a really good year.”

“I hope so, too,” Farkle said from beside her. “Maybe something will happen this year that could change everything.”

She glanced up at him, her eyes studying him for the first time in a long time. His hair, his eyes, his… lips. Riley tore her eyes from Farkle’s face. “I hope so.”

\---

Everyone was loudly counting down. Riley could hear her heartbeat over the numbers, though, hammering loudly inside her chest. 

She reached over at gripped Farkle’s hand, drawing his attention to her. Riley looked into his eyes, hoping her intention was clear. When the crystal ball dropped, everyone began cheering, and Riley wound her hands around the back of Farkle’s head, drawing him down to her. 

The notes of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ floating through the air, and everyone was singing, except Riley Matthews and Farkle Minkus, who were too busy staring at each other, not sure what was supposed to happen next, not sure they wanted to break apart, not sure they ever wanted to let each other go.

\---

Riley flung herself down on her childhood bed. She and her friends had all gone to a club and had danced for a few hours, all in a group. It was safer that way. She was still on a high from all the dancing and all the, well, all the kissing.

She hoped her father never found out.

There was a knock on her window. She went over and lifted the sash. “Hey,” she whispered. “What are you doing here? It’s almost four in the morning.”

“Can we talk?” Farkle asked.

“If you’re quiet. Jessica’s sleeping.” Riley motioned towards the girl on her bed.

“She seems nice,” Farkle said dryly, coming through the window. “Really seems to like me.”

“She’ll love you once she gets to know you,” Riley said. “She just doesn’t know you yet.” She sat in the bay window and waited for him to sit next to her.

Farkle sat down and turned to face her. “So.”

“So.” Riley waited.

“What exactly happened tonight?” Farkle asked.

“Did you ever really love me?” Riley asked. “When I was younger. Did you really love both me and Maya the same?”

“No,” Farkle said.

“Oh.” Riley wasn’t sure why that hurt so much, but it did.

“I loved you and Maya equally,” Farkle said after a moment. “Never the same.”

“What do you mean, Farkle?” Riley asked.

“I loved Maya, I mean, I still love her, like… Like she’s my family.” Farkle hesitated. “You were always a different kind of love.”

“What kind of love?” Riley whispered. She kept her eyes glued to his, afraid that if she looked away, the moment would break, and she would never know.

“I loved you like… like you were the sea and I was the sand. No. That’s a stupid simile.” Farkle paused. “I used to ask my science teacher if logic and science could overrule feelings. I dated Isadora because it was logical. She was my arch-nemesis, and became my girlfriend. We were compatible. But every science teacher told me the same thing; love is stronger than science. Maybe the universe was created because a god loved us before we were even created. Maybe that’s how the bang happened. I don’t know. I do know that I always loved you more than I loved Smackle.” He stopped and wet his lips, looking suddenly nervous. “I would wish that one day you would love me, too, and I wouldn’t have to continually try to force myself to stop loving you, because you would love me back.”

“Farkle…” Riley said quietly.

“I used to wish that I could just man up and tell you.” Farkle laughed softly. “I thought it was manly to be able to express your feelings for another person. I thought I was so weak, because you always showed me how much you cared, but I always doubted that you actually did.”

“Farkle.” Riley reached over and took his hand. “And now?”

He hesitated. “And now… I still love you. I always will. And you might have made it worse by kissing me tonight, because now I know how your lips feel and now I’ll have to start from scratch in the process of learning to un-love Riley Matthews.” Farkle shrugged. “There. I am the ultimate manly man now.”

Riley grinned and scooted slightly closer. “Farkle.” She sighed and reached up to touch his face. “Farkle Minkus. Why do you think I kissed you tonight?”

“It’s New Year’s. It’s what you do,” Farkle said, confident, assured.

Riley rolled her eyes. “No. I’ve never kissed you any other New Year’s.”

He was quiet for a moment. “Honestly, if you give me hope and then wreck it, I’m going to be very upset at you.”

Riley ran her fingers through her hair and pulled him towards her for the second time that night. 

This time, Farkle moved with more confidence, quickly leaning forward and capturing her lips with his, pouring all his love and angst and hope into that one kiss.

Riley pulled back after what felt like an eternity. She smiled at him and ran her hand along the front of his jacket. “Would you like to date me?”

His eyes widened, and then he smiled, a beautiful, dazzling smile that seemed to light up her whole room. “It would be my honor, Riley Matthews.” He leaned forward to kiss her again.

Riley responded instantly, happy to be kissing the man she loved, happy to be able to call him her boyfriend, happy that the new year had brought with it something so much more amazing than she could have imagined. 

“Boy, lying to Jessica sure worked out in my favor,” Riley said after a while, leaning her forehead against Farkle’s.

“You’re welcome,” mumbled a sleepy voice from Riley’s bed.

Riley and Farkle both jumped before looking at each other and softly giggling. “Sorry,” Farkle whispered. “We’ll go outside.”

“Whatever,” Jessica mumbled.

Farkle extended his hand to Riley. “Do you want to go outside? Or, oh, I should probably let you sleep.”

Riley took his hand and smiled. “I’ll sleep later. Right now, I want to spend some time with my boyfriend.”

“Ugh, you two are disgusting,” Jessica complained. “Go outside, I swear.”

They stood up and crawled out of the bay window.

“Thank god,” Jessica said, before smiling to herself and falling back asleep. 

“I love you,” Farkle whispered to Riley.

“I love you,” she whispered back. “Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year.”


End file.
